Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02639130 2008-08-26
Process Cheese Products with Dual Functionality
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to process cheese products having dual
functionality with regard to melting and shredding characteristics and methods
of
preparing such products. The process cheese products of the present invention
have both a firm texture suitable for commercial shredding and good melting
properties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Process cheese products are generally prepared by heating natural
cheeses with emulsifying salts, water, and other desired components to provide
a
homogenous mixture which is then cooled. Generally process cheese has either
good melting properties (generally a Schreiber melt test score of 3 or
greater) but is
too soft (i.e., inability to form non-agglomerating cheese shreds) or it is
firm enough
to allow effective shredding but has poor melting properties. Efforts have
been
made to provide process cheeses with specific properties or characteristics
which
can then be used for different and specific applications. Unfortunately, it
has not
been possible to obtain a process chesses with acceptable firmness and
meltability.
[0003] For example, U.S. Patent 3,962,483 (June 8, 1976) provided a melt
resistant process cheese composition by blending an effective amount (about 2
to
about 20 percent) of a heat-coaguiating material (e.g., proteins such as
albumins
and globulins) to a process cheese at elevated temperatures (about 55 but less
than
about 70 C), pouring the mixture into the desired molds, and heating the
mixture to
a temperature to coagulate the added protein (along with the casein in the
process
cheese; generally above about 70 C). The resulting melt resistant process
cheese
product is resistant to melting when subsequently heated. Thus, although
resulting
melt resistant process cheese product is sufficiently firm to allow shredding,
it no
longer has the desired melting properties.
[0004] U.S. Patent 5,807,601 (Sept. 15, 1998) provided imitation cheese
products wherein essentially all the protein was replaced by starch and gums.
The
functionality of this imitation cheese product can, to a certain extent, be
controlled by
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the adjusting the amount of starch. If the starch is present at about 3 to 5
percent in
the final product, good melt properties are obtained but the texture is not
suitably
firm to allow for shredding. If the amount of starch is increased up to about
30
percent, a firm texture is obtained which allows for shredding but the desired
melting
properties are lost. None of the imitation cheese products prepared by the
methods
of this patent contained both the firmness necessary for shredding and good
melting
properties. Because these imitation cheese products contain essentially no
casein,
convention process cheese emulsifying salts were not required. Of course,
because
of the low protein levels, these imitation cheese products lack the
nutritional benefits
normally associated with cheese products.
[0005] It would be desired to provide process cheese products having both
good melting and a texture firm enough to provide good shredding properties.
It
would also be desirable to provide such a process cheese product which could
be
provided in different forms or formats (e.g., bulk, slices, shreds, and the
like) and
which maintained the desired melting properties. The present invention
provides
improved process cheese products which have both good melting and goof
shredability properties and which can be provided in a number of different
forms
depending on the specific application for which the process cheese products
are
intended to be used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTtON
[0006] The present invention relates to process cheese products, in a single
formulation, having dual functionality with regard to melting and shredding
characteristics and methods of preparing such products and to methods of
making
such process cheese products. The process cheese products of the present
invention have firm textures suitable for commercial shredding and good
melting
properties. The process cheese products of this invention can be prepared in a
number of forms or format (e.g., bulk blocks or other forms, cubes, slices,
bars,
shreds, and the like). Thus, for example, the process cheese products of the
present invention could be initially formed into bulk blocks or other shapes
(e.g., 1 to
10kg block or even larger) and then stored in bulk; depending on the specific
need,
they could later processed into the desired form (e.g., shreds, cubes, and the
like)
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for use in specific products and/or applications. The process cheese products
of this
invention can be used in a variety of applications, especially the
applications which
take advantage of the dual functionality (e.g., baking, pizza toppings, and
the like).
[0007] The process cheese products of this invention generally have
shredability and meltability similar to natural cheese. For purposes of this
invention,
shredability is considered good if the product forms non-agglomerating and
uniform
shreds when shredded in commercial shredding equipment; generally, a Stevens
hardness value of at least about 125 grams will suggest sufficient hardness
for good
shredability. For purposes of this invention, good meltability is indicated by
a
Schreiber melt test score of at least 3.
[0008] This dual functionality allows the process cheese products of this
invention to be used in many applications in which currently only natural
cheese
products can be satisfactorily used; of course, the process cheese products
can also
be used in many of the applications in which conventional process cheese is
currently used. Thus, the process cheese products of this invention can used
in
many different applications and are very versatile.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0009] Figure 1 provides a general flow diagram of one embodiment of the
process of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] The present invention relates to relates to process cheese products, in
a single formulation, having dual functionality with regard to melting and
shredding
characteristics and methods of preparing such products and to methods of
making
such process cheese products. The process cheese products of this invention
comprise a casein protein source (e.g., natural cheese, rennet casein, and
mixtures
thereof); a fat source (e.g., a vegetable oil such as palm oil); an
emulsifying salt
composition; an acid modified starch, distarch phosphate, or mixture thereof;
and an
emulsifying starch (e.g., starch sodium octenylsuccinate), wherein the process
cheese product has a moisture content of about 45 to about 50 percent and a
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protein content of about 12 to about 16 percent; wherein the emulsifying salt
composition comprises sodium phosphate (e.g., monosodium phosphate, disodium
phosphate, or mixtures thereof) and trisodium citrate in a first ratio of
about 0.1 to
about 1; wherein a second ratio of the acid modified starch, distarch
phosphate, or
mixture thereof to the emulsifying starch is about 1 to about 3; and wherein
the
process cheese product has both good melting properties and a texture suitable
for
shredding. Although not wishing to be limited by theory, it is thought that
the
inclusion of the acid modified starch and/or distarch phosphate in combination
with
the emulsifying starch in the process cheese formulation allows for the dual
functionality. Generally, the second ratio of the acid modified starch,
distarch
phosphate, or mixture thereof to the emulsifying starch is about I to about 3
and
preferably about 1.4 to about 2.8.
[0011] This invention also relates to a method for producing a process cheese
product having both good melting properties and a texture suitable for
shredding,
said method comprising
(1) blending (a) a casein protein source, (b) a fat source, (c) an emulsifying
salt composition, (d) an acid modified starch, a distarch phosphate, or
mixture
thereof, (e) an emulsifying starch, and (f) water to form a homogenous
mixture;
(2) cooking the homogenous mixture with mixing at a temperature of about 90
to about 112 C for a time sufficient to ensure emulsification and
microbiological
stability; and
(3) cooling the cooked homogenous mixture in a container or mold to obtain
the process cheese product in a desired format;
wherein the process cheese product has a moisture content of about 45 to
about 50 percent and a protein content of about 12 to about 16 percent;
wherein the
emulsifying salt composition comprises sodium phosphate and trisodium citrate
in a
first ratio of about 0.1 to about 1; wherein a second ratio of the acid
modified starch,
distarch phosphate, or mixture thereof to the emulsifying starch is about 1 to
about
3; and wherein the process cheese product has a Schreiber melt test score of
at
least 3 and Stevens hardness value of at least about 125 grams.
[0012] A general formulation for the process cheese of this invention is
presented in the following table. Of course, the formulation must provide the
dual
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functionality as described in this specification and an otherwise acceptable
process
cheese product from an organoleptic standpoint.
Ingredients General ( /a) Preferred (%)
Cheeset 35 - 50 40 - 44
Rennet Caseinr 2-8 4-6
Sodium Phosphatert 0.5 - 1.5 0.8 - 1.2
Trisodium Citratett 1- 1.8 1.3 - 1.5
Acid Modified Starch and/or 1-5 2-4
Distarch Phosphate=
Emulsifying Starch= 1- 2 1.2 - 1.7
Vegetable Oil 10 - 18 13 - 16
pH Adjustment Agent As needed to adjust pH to desired level
Salt As needed
Flavorants As needed
Preservatives As needed
Colorants As needed
Water (all sources) As needed to adjust moisture to desired level
r The levels of cheese and rennet casein can be balanced to achieve the
desired protein levels and
dual functionality as described herein.
tt The levels of the emulsifying salts should be balanced to achieve the
desired first ratio and dual
functionality as described herein.
= The levels of the starches should be balanced to achieve the desired second
ratio and dural
functionality as described herein.
The ingredient levels presented in the above table can be varied (either
within or
outside of the listed ranges) so long as the resulting process cheese product
has the
desired dual functionality as described herein and also results in a
satisfactory
process cheese product.
[0013) One general embodiment of the method of preparing the dual
functionality process cheese products of this invention is illustrated in
Figure 1. The
natural cheese (generally the first casein source) and vegetable oil
(preferably palm
oil) are preferably ground to reduce particle size and better prepare the
mixture for
the following blending step. Although not critical, it is generally preferred
that the
grinding result in a particle size of about I to about 10 mm, and more
preferably
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about 3 to 7 mm, for the mixture. This grinding step is not required; its
absence,
however, will likely make the next blending step more difficult and/or time
consuming. After the grinder, the mixture is blended with water followed by
blending
with the second casein source (preferably rennet casein), starches (i.e., acid
modified starch and emulsifying starch), at least a portion of the desired
salt, and the
emuisifying 'saits; if optional ingredients (e.g., coloring, flavoring,
preservatives, and
the like) are to be added, they may also be added at this time. The blending
step
should be sufficient to obtain a homogenous blended mixture. The blended
mixture
is then standardized to achieve the desired levels of salt, pH (via addition
as needed
of lactic acid), and moisture content(via water addition as needed). The
standardization of the moisture content should take into account water that
may be
added during the cooking stage if steam injection is used (as is preferred).
After
standardization, the mixture is cooked with mixing, preferably in a steam-
injection
cooker, at a temperature of about 90 to about 112 C for a time (generally
about 0.5
to about 2 minutes) sufficient to ensure complete emulsification and
microbiological
stability. After the cooking step, the mixture is cooled and then packed in
the
appropriate containers or molds. Preferably, the initial cooling (generally to
below
about 85 C) is relatively rapid followed by a relatively slow cooling to
refrigeration
temperatures (e.g., about 2 or about 4 C).
[0014] The invention will now be illustrated by specific examples which
describe preferred embodiments of the present invention. They are not intended
to
limit the scope of the invention. Unless otherwise indicated, all ratios and
percentages throughout this specification are by weight. All patents and other
publications discussed in this specification are hereby incorporated by
reference.
[0015] Example 1. The formulations presented in the table below were used
to prepare process cheese products which were then examined for both
meitability
and firmness. The amounts of the ingredients in the table are given in grams.
The
general method illustrated in Figure 1 was used with a Stephan Cooker (cooked
at
about 95 C for about 1 minute). Samples were cooled at refrigeration
temperatures
for about 48 hours before test for firmness and meltability. Meltability was
evaluated
using the conventional Schreiber melt test method (i.e., heating a 39.5 mm
diameter
and 10 mm thick cheese disk at 230 5 C for 5 minutes and noting the increase
in
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diameter due to melting). Firmness was evaluated using the conventional
Stevens
hardness test method.
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CA 02639130 2008-08-26
[0016] Each of Samples A1-A9 were analyzed for moisture, fat, protein,
casein, and the like. The following results were obtained.
Sample Motsture (%) Fat (%) Protein ( k) Casein (%) LIMPt (Y.)
Al 46.2 24.4 17.1 14.8 5.6
A2 45.7 21.7 17.3 12.0 10.2
A3 48.2 24.9 15.2 12.1 2.2
A4 52_4 22.4 12.9 11.1 4.9
A5 48.9 28.5 13.6 11.8 1.0
A6 47.6 27.7 14.6 12.7 0.09
A7 47.3 27.8 14.3 12.5 0.01
A8 48.8 28.5 13.7 11.8 0.09
A9 48.4 27.8 14.6 12.5 0.09
t LIMP refers to lactose in moisture phase.
[0017] The results of the meltability and firmness evaluations of Samples
A1-A9 are shown in the table below. A commercially available process cheese
was
also evaluated as a control.
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Schreiber Melt Stevens Hardness
Sample Value Value (g) Comments
Control 2 233 poor meltabitity;
acceptable firmness
Al 1 poor meltability;
acceptable firmness
A2 1 - poor meltability;
acceptable firmness
A3 1 290 poor meltability;
acceptable firrnness
A4 6 - acceptable meltability;
poor firmness (soft and pasty)
A5 1 303 poor meltability; acceptable firmness;
A6 4 195 acceptable meltability
& firmness
A7 4 199 acceptable meltability
& firmness
A8 5 113 acceptable meltability; insufficient firmness
A9 5 139 acceptable meltability
& firmness
[0018] Based on Samples Al and A2, it appears that low moisture, high
casein, high phosphate emulsifier, and high dairy solids produces a firm
process
cheese product that is melt resistant (i.e., poor meltability). Based on
Sample A3, it
appears that lowering the dairy solids, casein, and phosphate emulsifier with
the
addition of acid treated starch and distarch phosphate does not significantly
change
either firmness or meltability relative to Samples Al and A2. Lowering the
casein
and replacing the phosphate emulsifier with the citrate emulsifier along with
higher
levels of acid treated starch and distarch phosphate appears to yield a softer
A4
product having good melting properties. For Sample A4, it appears that
lowering the
moisture and increasing the amount of trisodium citrate, relative to Sample
A3, and
using acid treated starch and hydroxylpropyl distarch phosphate improves the
texture but also renders the sample melt resistant.
[0019] For Samples A6 and A7, it appears that using a combination of either
acid treated starch or distarch phosphate with starch sodium octenyisuccinate,
casein, and the citrate emulsifier resulted in products having both good
firmness and
good meltability. Increasing the level of starch sodium octenyisuccinate in
Sample
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A8 did not appear to significantly change the melting properties but did
appear to
reduce the firmness to unacceptable levels relative to Samples A6 and A7.
Sample
A9 also provided both good firmness and good meltability characteristics while
being
one of the lower cost formulations. As noted, only Samples A6, A7, and A9 had
sufficient firmness to allow for shredding and good melting properties.
[0020] Example 2. An especially preferred process cheese product having
both good firmness and good meltability was prepared on a pilot plant scale
using
the following formulation using the general procedure outlined in Figure 1
using a
conventional steam injected lay down cooker. The formulation used was as
follows.
Ingredients Amount ( /a)
Mature Cheese 10.2
Cheddar Cheese 32.2
Rennet Casein 4.8
Di-Sodium Phosphate Di-hydrate 1.0
Trisodium Citrate 1.4
Acid Modified Food Starch 3.0
Starch Sodium Octenyisuccinate 1.5
(modified waxy maize)
Palm Oil 14.7
Lactic Acid (88%) 0.25
Vacuum Dried Salt (Bulk) 1.0
Sorbic Acid 0.1
Nisaplin 0.01
Colorant 0.01
Water Addition 22.7
Water Injected with Steam 7.2
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